


Midnight in Montgomery

by Mischeiefedmarauders



Category: Real Person Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-23 22:50:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8345869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mischeiefedmarauders/pseuds/Mischeiefedmarauders
Summary: One-shot Based on the songs Midnight in Montgomery and The Ride.Tom lands in Alabama to start a film but his flight was re-routed to a small airport just outside of Montgomery. The director sent one of the other actors to pick him up. On one of the back roads they run into someone unexpected.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Here are the songs I based the fic off of.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2hJLa0T-Sw -The Ride by David Allan Coe  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y19fw47YWc -Midnight in Montgomery by Alan Jackson

The plane landed in a small airport just outside of Montgomery. Tom's plane had been delayed over 5 hours and then it got detoured to an airport about an hour outside of Montgomery. When Tom finally managed to get off the plane and gather his luggage he let out a sigh and headed toward the exit. When he got outside of the terminal a gentle breeze blew across the oval. He took a breath in before looking around and checking his watch, it was 11:30. A second later a car pulled into the oval and stopped in front of him. The car went into park and a woman about 35 got out with shoulder length red hair. She came around the car and smiled.  
"Tom Hiddleston?" she asked. She of course knew who he was but she still wanted to be polite. He smiled and walked up to her, arm out  
"Yes, and you must be Elizabeth?" he asked. She smiled and met him half way and took his hand and shook it.  
"The one and only. Let me help you" she said as she walked up and grabbed one of his bags  
"You don't have to..." he said  
"I insist. No biggie" she said as she wheeled one of the suitcases to her car. She popped the trunk and put it in, Tom followed behind with the other one. 

Once everything was settled she closed the trunk and then unlocked the passenger side door for him. He put his backpack into the back seat as he got into the passenger seat. Elizabeth followed a second later. She started the car and pulled out her phone and wallet and set it beside them. "There's a bag at your feet, it has a couple sandwiches and some snacks if your hungry, also some water and other drinks. Figured you'd be hungry after such a shitty flight" she said with a laugh as she turned on the radio but kept it low so they could talk.  
"Oh, you didn't have to do that" he said with a smile  
"Like I said, it's no big. It's the least someone could do after the day you had. Unfortunately it's about an hour to Montgomery, so I suggest you get comfortable" she said as she pulled off. Tom pushed the seat back as far as it would go and he stretched out his legs before going through the bag and pulling out an energy drink. He looked it over before opening it and taking a swig.  
"So, how did you get tasked with coming to get me?" he asked  
"I was coming through from Georgia, I was visiting family before we got started. I was passing through here any way so I changed some things around to be able to come get you" she said as she pulled out of the airport and onto the main road.  
"Well thank you. It's a lot better than getting a taxi" he said  
"For sure, and the taxis around here are shit for service. You wouldn't of made it to the hotel until morning or so" she said as she turned onto another road.  
"Are we not taking the freeway?" he asked as she passed the exit  
"Unfortunately no, there's night construction and they have a majority of it blocked off. This ways easier, it takes us out a bit, but it's better this way...Don't worry, I'm not gonna take us to a remote location and chop you into little bits" she said with a laugh, he laughed as well.  
"Well thank god for that" he took a drink  
"I'm just gonna drive you off a cliff instead, a lot less clean up on my end" she said with a serious face. Tom's eyes got wide and he looked over at her. She shot him a sideways glance before bursting into laughter. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. The look on your face though" she said as she calmed herself down. Tom laughed as well and settled in more. 

They were about half an hour from Montgomery when the radio started to get staticy. Elizabeth reached over and started playing with the nob. When she finally got a station in Your Cheatin' Heart filled the car. She shrugged and kept it there and started to hum along. Tom smiled and sung under his breath. A couple more miles down the road the car died.  
"The hell?" she said as she tried to start it again. It was no use, the engine wouldn't turn over, the only thing that stayed on was the radio, which was now playing Lovesick Blues.  
"Does this seem a little strange to you?" asked Tom looking around. Elizabeth looked at him and then forward.  
"Kinda" she said as she unbuckled her seat belt and reached over to the glove box and pulled out a flashlight. She then popped the hood and got out to check it, Tom followed.  
"Do you think it's the battery?" he asked  
"Don't think so, the radio's still going, so it's not the alternator either...Maybe the ignition switch...And the last time I checked I was at half a tank..." she said as she kept poking around under the hood while Tom kept looking up and down the road.  
"Do you think anyone will be this way anytime soon?" he asked  
"Not likely. We're literally in the middle of nowhere" she said as she straightened up and shut the hood. She was about to say something but a tall man wearing a cowboy hat and a suit stepped out of the woods. Both Tom and Elizabeth took a step back.  
"Excuse me, but it seems ya'll are havin' some car troubles?" he asked, keeping his hat down over his eyes.  
"Yes, actually...Do you live around here? Could we use a phone, mine doesn't have reception" said Elizabeth, still a bit weary about the guy in front of them. She and Tom both couldn't help but think of how familiar he looked.  
"Actually no...I was hitchin' rides and mine let me off a while back and have been wondern' here waitin' for someone to come by" he said  
"Well, I would offer a ride, but...Yea..." she said, motioning to her car  
"Maybe try it again?" the stranger suggested  
"Yea" she said as she got back into the car as more Hank songs started playing. Tom got in beside her.  
"Do you think it's wise, picking up a hitchhiker, he could be dangerous..." said Tom, not liking this situation  
"I don't think he's dangerous...But...Does he look familiar to you?" she asked as she turned the key and the car started no problem.  
"A bit...I can't put my finger on it" he said looking over to the stranger  
"Me either...Alright dude, get in." she motioned to the guy to get into the car. He smiled and picked up a guitar case that she didn't notice at first and climbed into the back seat. Once everyone was settled she pulled off.  
"Where ya heading?" she asked  
"Montgomery. Got a big show there tomorrow" he said, still keeping his head down  
"Well, your in luck, that's where we're heading." said Tom  
"New Years Eve show? Nice. I'm Elizabeth by the way, and this is Tom...What's yours?" she asked but he remained quiet, she took a sideways glance at Tom who looked at her as well.  
"You play in a band I take it, country-western?" asked Tom turning a bit  
"Yea, what gave it away?" asked the stranger with a laugh, which caused Tom and Elizabeth to laugh as well.  
"Where you playing? Think we may have time to see you perform" said Elizabeth  
"A place called Lost Highway" he said  
"Oh, nice, I've been there before. The stage is amazing and the sound guy is the best" said Elizabeth with a smile  
"We'll definitely have to come check it out" said Tom.

A while later they pulled into a gas station just inside Montgomery to fill up. To this the stranger got out of the car with his guitar.  
"I think this is where I'll leave you fine folk" he said  
"Are you sure? We can take you to a motel or something" said Elizabeth, pumping gas, Tom was beside her, stretching his legs  
"This will be fine. Thanks again for the lift" he said as he started to walk away  
"Your welcome Mister" said Tom with a wave. To this the stranger turned to them and lifted his hat a bit, to which both Tom and Elizabeth gasped.  
"No need to call me Mister, the whole world calls me Hank" he said as he walked off into the night and disappeared. Both Tom and Elizabeth were brought out of their daze by the gas pump clicking. Elizabeth turned and put it back on the cradle and closed up the tank, still in a bit of a daze. They both got into the car and just sat there, staring forward.  
"You saw that...Right?!" asked Tom, Elizabeth just nodded "It can't be possible" he said  
"I mean, I've heard stories, but I mean, that's what they were, stories...Right?" she said now turning to Tom who turned to her  
"Apparently not" he said. Elizabeth blinked and rubbed her eyes and took a breath  
"I can't believe it...We just gave the ghost of Hank Williams a fucking ride...Like, it couldn't of been a hallucination, you saw it too" she said, trying to wrap her head around it  
"Yea..." he said  
"Well then...I think we should get going and get some sleep, it's only another 5 minutes to the hotel" Tom just nodded. She started the car and drove off, both of them not being able to keep the smiled off their faces  
"No ones going to believe us are they?" asked Tom  
"Nope" she said as she pulled out of the gas station and toward the hotel.


End file.
